In this course, we will examine the presence and rightful place of ambition in politics. We will read literature, biography, and political theory in an attempt to answer the following questions: Is the desire to rule a permanent and independent feature of political practice? Is it compatible with concern for the common good? Must ambition be limited or somehow rendered undangerous? Can it be? Readings may include Homer's Iliad , Plutarch's Lives , Machiavelli's Prince , Shakespeare's Macbeth, Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography , the Federalist Papers , and Bullock's Hitler: A Study in Tyranny . Prerequisite: sophomore standing. Enrollment limited.